By Clare Ogilvie
Flood restoration experts are confident that Myrtle Philip School will not have any mould or fungal problems arising out of this month’s water damage.
“I have confidence in saying there won’t be any mould related to this water incident,” Jon Motyka, area supervisor for On Side Restoration, told concerned parents at a school meeting Monday night.
On Saturday, March 11 an eight-inch water main failed at the school sending up to 2 million litres of water flooding into the classrooms and hallways.
Firefighters and officials responded quickly and were able to get most of the water out of the school before serious damage was caused to the structure.
However certain seismic building requirements created a real challenge for On Side, which had up to 40 people working overnight in the school in an effort to mitigate as much damage as possible.
At one point there were 250 pieces of drying equipment in the school to get rid of the moisture.
“The On Side crew were really fantastic,” said school Principal Ron Albertin, joking that the school hasn’t been this clean since it opened in 1992.
Most of the carpets in the school had to be cleaned and sanitized despite the fact that the water main contained clean water.
The Grade 1 classroom is being rebuilt after part of its wall gave way and was seriously water damaged. It is right next to the utility room where the flood occurred.
Insulation from the Grade 1 classroom contaminated the kindergarten classroom so the carpet must be replaced.
Until that work is complete students and teachers have been relocated to other rooms and there is no exit or entrance through the doors at the primary end of the school.
Most of the costs associated with the flood are covered by school board insurance.
